Merenae
The Kingdom of Merenae was one of the distant gaijin lands. History Firearms During the reign of King Diego of Merenae the first musket was developed by Espada Cornejo. Cornejo had been inspired by tubes of unusual chemicals, designed to release colorful, controlled explosions when released, the Rokugani Hanabi. His scientific mind immediately saw the flaws in the crude Rokugani explosives which he quickly corrected creating the flintlock weapons. Complete Exotic Arms Guide, p. 79 First Contact with Rokugan In the year 439, during the Ki-Rin Clan's wanderings, the Moto family reached the remote port city of Aqahba. A local captain, Shereid Ibn Shihan told of the Merenae Kingdom, and the Moto found their way to the kingdom. Imperial Histories, p. 73 They impressed Teodoro Cornejo who came to Rokugan seeking to open peaceful trade. His fleet became lost and he was aided by the leader of a pirate fleet from the nation of Thrane, Garen Hawthorne. The pirate intended to betray Teodoro and murder him on the voyage home rather than share the Emperor of Rokugan's favor with a rival nation. Teodoro conspired with the Mantis Clan to expose his enemy's dishonorable past to the Imperial Court while the Merenae ships escaped. In 442 a vicious battle between the Thrane pirate fleet and the defenders of Otosan Uchi followed, called the Battle of White Stag. The Emperor Hantei Yugozohime died to their polvora weapons. The new Hantei, Hantei Muhaki, proclaimed an Imperial Edict that no gaijin would ever be welcome in Rokugan again, and any who crafted or used gaijin pepper would be executed for their crime. Fires of Toshi Ranbo, Part One, by Rich Wulf Plague In the 10th century the Meranae and its neighbors the Thrane were hit by a sudden and crippling plague which came from Senpet lands. Most of the affected nations were wiped out completly, but Merenae still stands 200 years later, a nation of mixed refugees and the one stable surviving nation. Lost at Sea, by Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf Merenae weapons allowed the nation to survive while others crumbled. Though subsequent generations of Cornejos suggested more advancements, the royal family of Merenae forbade any further alterations on King Diego's 'perfect weapon.' Details Kingdom Somewhere to the north and east, across the Sea of Amaterasu, lay a distant continent inhabited by many different gaijin nations, including the Merenae. Emerald Empire; Fourth Edition, p. 255 What was called Merenae by Rokugani was in fact composed of the descendants of the survivors of Merenae and a dozen other neighboring nations ravaged by the plague. The continent these nations once ruled was now largely uncivilized. Merenae was governed by twelve noble houses, each representing the survivors of a fallen nation. These houses were overseen by a single monarch, whose family could claim ancestry to each of the twelve houses. The Merenae were a cunning, resourceful, and ambitious people tempered by hardship. Though the noble houses frequently squabbled among themselves, they readily set their differences aside when the kingdom as a whole was threatened. Live Action Roleplaying, pp. 191-192 Appearance Merenae were paleskinned gaijin with round eyes and dark curly hair. Their men grew abundant facial hair, dressed in tight-fitting garments made from leather and various types of woven cloth, and wore large wide-brimmed hats. They favored gaudy decorations on their garments, including abundant embroidery, lace, and large feathers in their hats. Technology Merenae carried blades and polearms of steel, wearing steel plates covering their torsos, along with oddly-shaped steel helms. Their most notorious weapons used the gaijin pepper, muskets and cannon. They had advanced nautical skill that surpasses even those of the Mantis Clan, and their ships and sailors carried powder weapons. Culture Ruled by a king who held dominion over twelve noble houses, Merenae was thought to have been an enemy of the now fallen Thrane Empire. Some of those involved in the Battle of White Stag hailed from Merenae. The Cornejo family, longtime assistants of the Mantis Clan, hailed from Merenae. Some bloodlines in Merenae had magic in them. Religion The Merenae believed each mortal soul got only a single journey through the world, and every soul was equally important regardless of what sort of life its body led. Language When speaking Rokugani, natives of Merenae had a fairly thick accent. The only known phrase from Merenae was "Blood of Kharsis" (sometimes shortened simply to "Kharsis"), used as some sort of expletive. Fires of Toshi Ranbo Part Two, by Rich Wulf Known King of Merenae * Category:Gaijin Places